Apple has enjoyed many years of relatively light regulatory scrutiny compared to Big Tech peers. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) opened a monopoly case against Google back in October 2020, for instance. It followed with a second antitrust case at the start of last year, targeting Google’s adtech. While the FTC has been pursuing an antitrust case against Meta over a similar timeframe. And who could forget Microsoft’s Windows era tango with U.S. antitrust enforcers?

Thursday’s DOJ antitrust suit, accusing Apple of being a monopolist in the high-end and U.S. smartphone markets, where the iPhone maker is charged with anti-competitive exclusion in relation to a slew of restrictions it applies to iOS developers and users, shows the company’s honeymoon period with local law enforcers is well and truly over.

But it’s important to note Apple has already faced competition scrutiny and interventions in a number of other markets. More international trouble also looks to be brewing for the smartphone giant in the coming weeks and months ahead, especially as the European Union revs the engines of recently rebooted competition rules.

Read on for our analysis of what’s shaping up to be a tough year for Apple, with a range of antitrust activity bearing down on its mobile business.…